Semantic quibbles on the "1992 consensus" are not Beijing's primary design in meeting with opposition leaders, an expert on cross-strait affairs said yesterday.
"Beijing is not overly concerned about [these] communiques [with opposition leaders], because ultimately it has to be acceptable to the government," said Chang Wu-ueh (張五岳), professor of China Studies at Tamkang University, suggesting that Beijing was more interested in using the opportunity to clarify its political stance on Taiwan.
Chang was responding to People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong's (宋楚瑜) introduction yesterday of the notion of "two sides on each side of the Strait, one China" to replace the so-called "1992 consensus." Soong put forth the notion in a communique issued after a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao (宋楚瑜).
Beijing's other primary motivation in extending invitations to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
He expressed doubt over whether Soong's semantic contribution to the debate on the existence or not of a "1992 consensus" could make much headway in resolving the cross-strait stalemate.
"This might seem like a step in the wrong direction for the pan-green political camp," Chang said.
According to the pan-blue camp, the "1992 consensus" refers to an agreement on the "one China" principle, with each side having its own interpretation. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) does not acknowledge the consensus, saying the notion was fabricated in 2000 by then Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) head Su Chi (蘇起).
Beijing insists that negotiations are possible only if both sides recognize the "1992 consensus" and the "one China" principle.
The notion refers to oral statements that negotiators of the semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation and its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, had issued regarding the "one China" formula at the conclusion of a meeting in Hong Kong in 1992. The DPP has denied that a consensus was reached, but suggested last October that the 1992 meeting could serve as the basis for future negotiation, indicating that the meeting was a mark of both parties' willingness to put aside political differences.
Chang said that, despite the focus that has been placed on Soong's promise to redefine the "1992 consensus," Beijing has its eye on wooing the Taiwanese audiences tuning in to live coverage of Hu and Soong's meeting.
"Beijing is using this meeting to publicize its stance on Taipei," Chang said, indicating that Beijing had put its best foot forward, giving opposition leaders high-profile receptions and repeating claims that it is committed to peace.
Chang said that Beijing has been successful in this tactic and warned that the government had to wake up to the new strategies being employed by its opponent.
The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau is again on the front line as China, and the US and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic nation of just 17,000 people hosts US-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the US military describes as “critical” to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the second island chain, a string of
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck about 33km off the coast of Hualien City was the "main shock" in a series of quakes in the area, with aftershocks expected over the next three days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Prior to the magnitude 5.9 quake shaking most of Taiwan at 6:53pm yesterday, six other earthquakes stronger than a magnitude of 4, starting with a magnitude 5.5 quake at 6:09pm, occurred in the area. CWA Seismological Center Director Wu Chien-fu (吳健富) confirmed that the quakes were all part of the same series and that the magnitude 5.5 temblor was
The Central Weather Administration has issued a heat alert for southeastern Taiwan, warning of temperatures as high as 36°C today, while alerting some coastal areas of strong winds later in the day. Kaohsiung’s Neimen District (內門) and Pingtung County’s Neipu Township (內埔) are under an orange heat alert, which warns of temperatures as high as 36°C for three consecutive days, the CWA said, citing southwest winds. The heat would also extend to Tainan’s Nansi (楠西) and Yujing (玉井) districts, as well as Pingtung’s Gaoshu (高樹), Yanpu (鹽埔) and Majia (瑪家) townships, it said, forecasting highs of up to 36°C in those areas
IN FULL SWING: Recall drives against lawmakers in Hualien, Taoyuan and Hsinchu have reached the second-stage threshold, the campaigners said Campaigners in a recall petition against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒) in Taichung yesterday said their signature target is within sight, and that they need a big push to collect about 500 more signatures from locals to reach the second-stage threshold. Recall campaigns against KMT lawmakers Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) and Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) are also close to the 10 percent threshold, and campaigners are mounting a final push this week. They need about 800 signatures against Chiang and about 2,000 against Yang. Campaigners seeking to recall Lo said they had reached the threshold figure over the
RSS